The Meaning of Happiness
by Ayame-chan
Summary: Narration of first ending to DQ8. The Hero contemplates about his own feelings for his princess, and with the help of his friends, defies an age old promise between two kingdoms. HeroxMedea
1. A Celebration to Remember

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

The Meaning of Happiness: Part One - A Celebration to Remember

DISCLAIMERS AND AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Me no own DQ8! That's Squeenix .

Dragon Quest 8 is such a great game...now it makes me want to search for all the previous ones and play 'em . This was at first to be just a oneshot, until as I was writing, I realized that this was going to be a fairly long oneshot if I did continue on. So, it's been split into three parts.

And as always, this randomly popped up after I finished the first ending of the game...so major spoilers! I've twisted a bit of the scenes a little bit to fit into this fanfic...but I think they turned out okay...

I've renamed the hero "Ryuuichi" which, roughly translated means "the first son of Ryuu". In turn, "Ryuu" means "dragon". I thought the name suited him.

If at times the other characters are a bit OOC...I'm sorry! I tried my best . 

* * *

He found a spot under the shade of a tree nearby, glad to escape some of the festivities of the castle. Although he was happy that Rapthorne was dead and the curse on Trodain was lifted, the young palace guard couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed about all the attention he was getting as well as the words of praise by King Trode. He just did what he had to do -- both as a servant to the Kingdom of Trodain and as a promise he made to her, his princess.

Now that things were back to normal, his mind drifted to other matters -- most importantly the arranged marriage between his princess and the useless Prince Charmles of Argonia. His teeth unconsciously clenched shut, fighting back the anger that boiled inside him as he remembered back to the days when he and the others had to escort and accompany him to the country's Royal Hunting Grounds.

* * *

"**MOVE,** you useless creature!"

The sound of the familiar annoying voice of Argonia's crowned Prince and the whinnying of a horse nearby shook him awake as he scrambled to his feet, prepared for battle. It was only when he, Angelo, and Jessica reached to the source of the sounds did the panic in him vanish and change to silent anger.

By the Goddess, the round Prince had somehow managed to get on his princess' back and...well, was trying to ride her. Of course, she wasn't going to let him on that easily. The more the Prince tried to reign her down, the more the princess rebelled. The young man knew that his princess, despite how innocent she looked, could take care of herself when need be but he still couldn't help but feel angry both at himself for not being able to protect her as he should and at the very man she was to marry. Like the others, he wasn't all too happy about the arrangement long before he actually met the man.

Now he **definitely **didn't want her to marry him, arrangement or not. However the small voice inside him reminded him that it was impossible for royalty to be together with common folk.

The horse finally managed to buck the pathetic Prince off her, backing away from him. The young man took the action as his cue, striding past Angelo, Jessica, and then King Trode, to the place where the obese and spoiled piece of royalty landed to the ground with a heavy thud.

He rarely got angry, yet when he did, logic and reason flew out the window.

"Ow! My poor back! Oh, your worthless horse needs to be ---"

The young man pulled the prince up by the front of his shirt, his eyes breathing fire down the prince's own.

The wider man seemed unfazed by the rough action, immediately frowning at the palace guard as if he had done something wrong. However, the young man didn't care.

"What in the world do you think you are doin---"

The grip on the shirt tightened, its strength very close to strangling the annoying man.

"Listen to me here and listen to me well," the young man cut him off, his eyes flickering between amber and brown -- a trait that he had for as long as he could remember, especially if he was concentrating or angered, "you are very lucky that my comrades and I willingly accepted your father's offer to aid you in these trials or else we would have thrown you to the dragons to eat long ago. However," he leaned a little bit closer, noting the fearful effect it had on the Prince, "it's not wise to make me angry. I can just simply leave you here to fend on your own and tell your father that you simply died in battle."

He paused a little to ensure that his words sunk in. "Do NOT touch her. Ever."

With that, he let go, regaining his former complacent composure when Yangus came running into the camp, exclaiming that a very large Argon lizard just appeared.

* * *

His anger calmed as he remembered and smiled faintly at the reactions of his comrades and his king. Angelo joked that he had never seen him so serious and threatening. Jessica expressed surprise. King Trode reprimanded him for his actions much later, but he was still appreciative that the palace guard could exercise who was in charge over the Prince's safety a the time as well as voice the opinion of the majority. His princess also showed her gratitude, but she also expressed her resignation about the marriage -- something he reluctantly expected long ago.

A jumble of mixed feelings circled inside him as he thought about the prospect of having to let her go. Deep down inside, he didn't want to. Since the day he entered the castle with little memory of who he was, they had grown up together. They experienced both the good and the bad times together. They knew each other's faults and they knew each other's talents. He knew she loved him, more than the "older brother" role he set out to be for her. He knew _he _loved her, but he never voiced them. It was because the one thing that made him keep his distance was the fact that she was the princess to a kingdom and he was merely a palace guard. An orphan brought into the palace out of sympathy.

His pet suddenly scurried out of his pocket, squeaking and gesturing to the young man that someone was approaching them before scuttling off. He looked over to follow where the mouse ran off to only to freeze in mid-action as his eyes locked onto the soft emerald ones of his princess.

She smiled at him, waving a hand to stay put as she came over. Princess Medea of Trodain was still the most beautiful woman he ever knew with her velvet brown hair falling just passed her waist and emerald eyes that always sparkled with a grace that very few women possessed. He noted that her cheeks were a bit flushed, though there was no drink in her hand.

"I thought that you would hide out here, Ryuuichi," she said as soon as she came within hearing distance.

She was the only person who called him by his name. Her father, King Trode, always called him "Ichi" or "my boy", never one to remember his full name clearly. Since the day they met, Yangus called him "Guv", and the others followed suit. It wasn't until they went to the Mystical Spring did his comrades know his real name. But Ryuuichi didn't care what they preferred to call him; names didn't matter much to him anyway.

He gave a slight smile back at her, making sure that none of his troubled thoughts showed.

"Princess, shouldn't you still be at the banquet?" he asked her. "I'm sure that the king will worry again if he can't see where you are."

She frowned at him. "How many times doe I have to tell you to call me 'Medea'? We've known each other for years; you shouldn't be bound by such formality around me."

Ryuuichi sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "I'm sorry, Prin--Medea."

She took a seat next to him, her smile back on her face. "It's all right, Ryuuichi." Her smile faded a little as she looked down at her hands. "I suppose that is because it's been a while since we've been alone like this."

He forced himself to not look at her and instead stared at the sky. "Hm..."

He wasn't much of a talker, but she already understood that long ago and broke the silence.

"Don't worry about my father," she said. "If he knows that I'm with you, then he won't worry." She paused before looking behind them. "I saw Munchie running back to the banquet by himself. Do you know why?"

A small smile curled on his lips. "Probably to get more cheese. I ran out after the battle."

He heard her laugh and he managed to look back at her, watching as he always did. He knew it wasn't right to think strange thoughts, but he knew that he would miss that laughter after she left.

When she opened her eyes, he resorted back to looking at the sky, not wanting to get caught in the act of staring. Luckily, she didn't catch it this time.

"He's such a brave mouse," she replied. "With an equally brave master."

He twitched a smile, letting her continue.

"I can't thank you enough for staying by our side, Ryuuichi. And everyone else, of course. But...you've stayed with my father and I since the beginning of the curse, always protecting us."

It was his turn to shake his head, looking back at her. "You and the king give me too much praise, Medea. I only did what I had to do."

She was about to protest, but one wave of his hand allowed him to continue.

"Your father allowed me to stay here, a mere war orphan with no family or past. Allowing me to accompany you on your walks in the gardens, observing the royal court without so much of a word, and entering the ranks of the palace guards...Trodain **is **my family -- I cannot simply stand by and watch it fall to ruin without trying to stop it."

He also wanted to say that he continued to stay with them, protect them, was because he wanted revenge. He was angry at the jester who allowed himself to become possessed by Rapthorne and he was angry at himself for allowing their transformation to happen, knocked out cold by the mere force of the sceptre's magic. Ryuuichi didn't know why he had been the only one not affected by the curse, but he had been determined to change them back and set Trodain free because he **was **the only person they had left.

There was so much else to say yet the words never came. Lost in his thoughts, he felt a light weight against his body. He automatically tensed, hesitantly looking over.

"...Medea?"

"Is it all right for me to rest like this?" he heard her murmur. "For old times sake?"

He forced his muscles to relax though he continued to look around nervously to make sure that no one saw them together.

Of course, the thought was a bit silly. It seemed like everyone in the castle except for King Trode knew of his princess' feelings for him. He kept his own well-guarded, though Ryuuichi had a feeling that the trio they met over their journeys knew what he knew deep in his heart. Yet he also knew that it wasn't going to last; she would be off to fulfill an old promise between two kingdoms and he would once again be left alone.

Yet a small voice inside him said that it was okay today. Just this once, he could allow himself to be selfish.

Ryuuichi breathed out a sigh and nodded. "...Yeah."

They sat together in silence, watching the sky as it faded from its brilliant blue to dusk, unaware of someone watching them. When dusk faded to night, Ryuuichi gently carried his sleeping princess in his arms into the castle and back to her room.


	2. The Escort

**Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King**

**The Meaning of Happiness: Part Two - The Escort**

**DISCLAIMERS**: No, I don't own DQ8You know who it belongs to, don't you?  
**

* * *

**

Six months had passed since the day they defeated Rapthorne. Soon after the celebration in Trodain, his companions went their separate ways. He hadn't heard from any of them since.

Heaving a sigh, Ryuuichi pushed away the papers on his desk and leaned back, his chair perfectly balanced between hanging and following gravity. It was tough work being the captain of the guard. He hadn't wanted such a promotion in the first place, glad to remain a palace guard after the journey, but King Trode insisted on giving him the position until Ryuuichi finally relented and accepted the honor of such a position.

That was six months ago, a week after Rapthorne's fall.

"I wonder how everyone's doing," he murmured to himself when a knock came at the door.

"Yes?" he tilted back upright, his boots hitting the floor with a soft thud.

"Um...captain, sir," the familiar voice of one of his men replied behind the wood object. "You have a visitor."

_A visitor? _Ryuuichi wondered to himself. He shuffled the papers around on his desk in order to make it look like he was doing something productive. _I wonder who could it be?_

"Tell them to come in."

As the door opened, the visitor entered. Ryuuichi stood from his seat in surprise. "Yangus!"

The burly man with the odd, spiked hairdo grinned at him. Both men greeted each other with a hug, and Ryuuichi saluted his man to be dismissed.

"S'been a long time, ain't it, Guv?" Yangus said. "Can't b'lieve it's been only six months since we beat down tha' Rapthorne, eh?"

Ryuuichi gave the man a small smile of agreement. "Yes, it has."

Yangus once again gave him a grin. "Looks like you've been doin' well, Guv. I 'eard 'o your promotion to cap'n of th'guard!" He gave the young man a friendly pat on the shoulder. "The ol' man Trode must've really wanted you t' take th'job. My late congrats, Guv!"

Ryuuichi chuckled and scratched the back of his head out of embarrassment. Out of all the people he met, the former bandit was probably the only other person besides his princess who seemed to understand his reasons to not immediately accept a jump of power.

"There's no need to congratulate me, Yangus," he told him. "I'm still the same. By the way, what's the special occasion to drop by?"

Yangus stared at him with a shocked expression on his face. "Y'mean, you don' know, Guv?" After a pause and probably reading his confused expression, the man continued. "I'm 'ere t'help you escort the' 'orse -- wait, she ain't a 'orse no more, huh? Jus used t'saying that, Guv -- th'princess t' her wedding!"

A wave of fear and apprehension washed over Ryuuichi for a split second before he forced himself to smile. He hadn't forgotten; he had been trying as hard as he could since the week before to put the thoughts of his princess away from his mind. Ryuuichi made a painful effort to avoid her at all costs during the past month, thinking that it would be much easier for the both of them when the day came.

Now he realized that it wasn't.

"Oh, yes, that's right. The King gave word to me last week about it," he replied halfheartedly, hoping that his friend would not notice.

Luckily Yangus didn't. Or maybe he did but didn't want to say anything to him thinking that it wasn't his place.

"Cor blimey, Guv!" Yangus laughed. "Still forgettin' ev'rythin' as always."

He gave Ryuuichi another pat on the shoulder before heading back to leave. "I betcha Angelo 'n Jessica're already here, too. I'm gonna go look for 'em. Th' ol' man tol' me t'tell you that y'need t'pick up th' princess in her room. I'll see ya, Guv!"

Ryuuichi gave another smile at the man who left. When the door closed, it quickly faded as his mask began to carefully dismantle itself. He tightened his fists into a ball to muster up the remnants of resolve he developed over the month to let her go. He wanted his princess to be happy, and if this arranged marriage would make her happy, then it would be okay.

However, as he changed into his formal uniform, his heart didn't agree.

* * *

He stared at himself in the mirror, wondering what kind of person was looking back at him. Ryuuichi changed out of the casual garb he usually wore even on duty at the castle to the uniform of his status as the captain of the guard. Instead of the typical blue shirt and brown pants with the yellow jacket, they were replaced by a silk white shirt tucked into black pants and a silver jacket buttoned up halfway. A wine red scarf draped itself over the jacket and a belt of the same color wrapped itself around the waist. He still wore his black boots and opted out from wearing the chainmail and armor usually required to wear for a job like this, but Ryuuichi found that it was impractical and cumbersome. He wasn't used to seeing himself without his trademark bandanna around his head, his brown hair unruly and naturally pointing in a variety of different directions.

He didn't look like _him _and more like the man that he was appointed as: captain of the guard for the Kingdom of Trodain.

Blowing a sigh of nervousness and frustration, Ryuuichi grabbed is Liquid Metal Sword and slung it over his shoulder as he always did and hooked a pouch on his belt which Munchie immediately jumped in. He gave a sad smile at his pet, affectionately petting him behind the ears, before taking one last look at his room and heading out the door.

He had to pick up his princess, but he decided to take a scenic route to delay the time. On his way around the hallway of the barracks, the young man looked up to see a very familiar man and a very familiar sight.

Angelo was leaning one arm against the wall, chatting amiably with two of the maids of the castle. They were laughing at something he said, and Ryuuichi immediately knew that the other man's "charm" was at work. The silver-haired man looked up as he came closer, a quick look of surprise on his face before changing into a smile and wave.

"Hey," he greeted. "Didn't recognize you for a second there."

The young man shrugged, returning the greeting. "Well, I'm not in this garb, much. How have you been doing?"

Angelo chuckled out of habit. "I've been traveling around for a bit, taking care of orphans and all."

One of the maids who was latched on his shoulder giggled, forgetting for the moment her position.

"Isn't it soooo romantic, Captain?" she asked, her blue eyes dreamlike. "He travels around the world, taking care of children especially when they're orphans. And then he'll take them to a nearby orphanage and makes sure that they get good adopted parents! It's so sweet of him!"

At a loss of words, all Ryuuichi could say was, "Uh... really?"

"Don't milk it up too much," Angelo said to the maid with a light shade of pink on his cheeks. "Don't want to have my reputation damaged."

Ryuuichi shook his head, still smiling, until he forced himself to remember that he had a very important task to do. "Aren't you ladies supposed to be preparing to leave?"

The maid behind Angelo gasped in realization. "Oh, that's right! Megan, we should go! I'm so sorry, Captain!"

Both men watched her drag her friend out of the hallway, reprimanding her for delaying their progress to prepare for their journey to Savella Cathedral.

As soon as they were out of sight, Angelo turned to him,"Seems that your new position has given a lot of respect among the people of the castle."

Ryuuichi shrugged again, still not comfortable with everyone making such a big fuss about it. "It's not much, really. I'd rather speak to everyone as an equal rather have them treat me like I'm some sort of god."

Angelo laughed at his comment. "Still humble as usual, you are." He paused for a moment, looking at him closely. "By the way, are you going to pick up the princess?"

Ryuuichi forced a smile again, hoping that it looked natural. "...Yes, I am."

A slight frown appeared over the silver-haired man's face before it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. "I know that today we're to escort her to Savella Cathedral, and to be honest with you, I didn't want to come at first. I don't... personally like these sort of occasions, especially since we'll be seeing that idiot of a prince again."

He folded his arms across his chest to indicate the seriousness of his words. "But it's been a while since the four of us have been together, and I honestly missed those days so I came. However... will **you **be all right?"

The captain blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Angelo chuckled. "It's quite obvious that Princess Medea has feelings for you, and you, her." He smirked at seeing Ryuuichi's shocked expression. "You may hide it very well, but I _have _had my share of relationships. Yangus, Jessica, and I have been talking about it for a while; we just never brought up the subject to you. You love her, don't you?"

Ryuuichi looked away from him then, contemplating on his words.

"...Whatever the princess decides... I will abide by it."

It was what he truly believed and gave much careful thought to. She had told him years earlier what she wanted to do, and all that the young man could do was to respect her decision and hope that she would be happy. Even if it meant that they would never see each other again, he would stand by on her decision.

He had already convinced himself that there was no time to be selfish on these matters -- both politically and emotionally. Being together with her without the consent of both kingdoms would provide a terrible fate for the world.

He heard Angelo sigh and looked up.

"You truly are too humble for your own good," he said to him, shaking his head. "Well, I'll be waiting in the courtyard then."

He watched the man go, leaving him back to the immediate task at hand. Ryuuichi looked down at his hands, still contemplating on Angelo's words. Was he doing the right thing? His mind told him yes, but his heart told him otherwise.

Shaking his head and bring up his resolve again, he continued on his way to his princess' room. Yet as he walked, something inside of him said that this wouldn't be the last time Angelo would bring up the subject once again.

* * *

He knew he had to run into Jessica sometime soon, and he nearly missed her while he turned down one hallway and she coming out of another.

"Hey, Guv!"

Ryuuichi paused in mid-step as soon as he caught a glimpse of the magician's fiery red hair and turned. She approached him cheerfully with a wave.

"Wow," she gave him a good look over, which automatically made him feel uncomfortable. "Does every person appointed to captain of the guard dress like this?"

"Um... well, on formal occasions, I guess," he meekly replied. "I don't wear this often."

"You should; it looks good on you," she told him. "So how have you been doing? It seems like ages ago since we defeated Rapthorne."

He tucked his hands into the jacket pockets. "It's been... peaceful, for a lack of a better term. How about yourself?"

She laughed at his comment, putting a hand on her hip. "Well, I finally relented and decided to stay in Alexandria with my mother. She and I get along a little better now, so I've been teaching the local children magic whenever I can." She paused. "Oh, did you hear about Yangus?"

Her smile turned into a grin when he shook his head. "I heard that he's been teaming up with Red in the trading business."

This was a surprise. "...What?"

"Yeah, I know. Who would've thought that those two would reconcile their differences and work together?"

He vaguely remembered Red, the female bandit who bought his princess while she was still under the curse and had been Yangus' love interest. The former bandit never mentioned anything to him about his team-up with her, but Ryuuichi supposed that he probably felt embarrassed to even mention it.

"That's good for him," he commented softly.

"It probably is," Jessica agreed. "Seems like everyone is moving on in life. Which reminds me... you're going to pick up Princess Medea, aren't you?"

He slowly nodded, forcing back the tightening of his heart to a dull ache. "I was on my way before I ran into you."

The magician nodded thoughtfully, crossing her arms across her chest. "How is she? I mean, it's going to be her big day soon and all."

Ryuuichi looked away from her, thinking about his answer. It seemed as if everyone was concerned about his princess's (and behind it, his) well being. If it hadn't been for them reopening his doubts, his resolve wouldn't feel as faulty as it was now.

And the very person besides his princess that he couldn't quite lie to was Jessica. She seemed to have a knack at guessing the right things; a woman's intuition he supposed.

"To be honest, I don't know," he replied. "I haven't been able to see her as often as I used to because of my new duties."

"Hmm..." Jessica eyed him suspiciously, but she didn't press on the matter. "Well, I was just wondering. I mean, even before everything was over, it seemed like she didn't want to go through with this marriage."

"The arrangement was made during her grandfather's reign," Ryuuichi explained to her, though he felt as if he was reciting this out of a book. "So she has to fulfill the promise... as her duty as a princess."

"I guess that's the difference between royalty and common folk like us, huh?" Jessica murmured softly. Ryuuichi wasn't sure if she directed it at him or at the subject of arranged marriage and royalty in general.

Yet as quickly as she said those words, Jessica gave him one last smile. "Well, I'm going to go down to the courtyard. We'll see you two, right?"

He nodded and continued on his way to his destination. He had delayed seeing her long enough -- he just hoped that his heart didn't completely dissolve when he saw her.

* * *

Finding that she wasn't in her room wasn't that surprising to him. He knew that his princess also wanted to delay her departure as long as possible, and he didn't blame her. She loved her kingdom just as he did, a former palace guard with no family. Leaving Trodain on their journey to reverse the curse on her father and herself was hard, but this time she would be leaving the kingdom forever.

And he would never see her, a woman who was soon going to be claimed as someone else's wife.

Ryuuichi followed the sounds and vibrations of the melancholy music that filtered in the castle's second floor. His princess loved to play the piano for as long as he could remember, and her music more often times than not would reveal her emotions of the day. This past week he would often pass by the piano room only to hear her sorrow and it wrenched his heart along with everyone else in the castle.

Giving a slight nod of acknowledgment at the guard who saluted him at the door, Ryuuichi knocked once before entering.

If he had a choice, he would have fought Rapthorne alone ten times over than to see the look on her face, in her eyes. She had stopped playing the piano as soon as he entered and stared at him with eyes that looked helpless, sad. He would have stared into those eyes forever, had it not been for her to be the first one to speak.

"It's time for me to leave," she said to him. "That's why you've come now... isn't it?"

Ryuuichi inwardly winced at her words and for the first time since he actually talked to her, all that he could think of was to say "no".

Yet the muscles in his jaw tightened and he heard himself say, "Yes, everyone is waiting in the courtyard, Princess."

Inwardly, he was surprised at the tone of his voice -- so formal and cold; it was very much not like him. His princess seemed to notice it, too, a flicker of hurt in her eyes appeared as she stood up. So many times before she would correct him to call her "Medea", yet today she merely stood up and walked over to him without a word.

In what felt like an eternity, they just stood in front of the door: she looking down at her hands while he vaguely passed her figure.

"You look good in that outfit, she finally said, looking up and into his eyes. She forced herself to smile. "I should tell my father to tell you to wear it more often. It makes you look more... mature."

He merely blinked, frantically resisting the urge to grab her and run away from the castle. It wasn't as if he didn't have the ability to, not after those long months traveling around. "Thank you."

He turned around, setting a hand on the door knob as he forced those stray thoughts aside.

"Wait."

Clsoing his eyes to bring up his mask again, he turned back to look at her. She must have seen the false coldness in his eyes for she hesitated a moment. Then she decided to look away and he was slightly relieved.

"Can we...walk around the castle for a bit? Just you and me... like old times, Ryuuichi," she said softly. "Then we'll go."

He remained silent, thinking about his answer... and his decision. If it would make her a little bit happier...

"We'll have to walk quickly," he told her while facing the door. "You'll be fashionably late as it is."

He could feel her smile at his dry humor and he opened the door. He let her guide them to places where they secretly shared close memories together -- the sceptre room, the balcony that faced the gardens, the balcony to the throne room, and finally, the courtyard where they were to leave from. He walked ahead of her then, blocking out their cherished memories, looking back at her forlorn expression. She greeted his eyes once again, eyes that revealed the depths of her sadness and her hurt, before she silently caught up to him, letting him guide her to her carriage. He deliberately ignored the stares he was getting from his comrades and meticulously avoided his princess when they were on the ship.

Yet he still watched her from a distance as he had always done, wondering to himself if he was doing the right thing.


	3. The Wedding Day

**Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King**

**The Meaning of Happiness: Part Three - The Wedding Day**

Despite the chaos from the death of the High Priest, Rapthorne's revival, and the aftermath to rebuild, Savella Cathedral was still in high spirits, anticipating the union between two faraway kingdoms.

Ryuuichi didn't bother to appreciate the island's lush, forest vegetation and its rolling hills, its mountains that held the most beautiful cathedral that mankind had ever made. He had taken in the sights the first time they visited Savella while chasing a dog-possessed Rapthorne, but even at that time he was too preoccupied from stopping the creature. If it was under different circumstances, maybe he would find the time to explore the island in its entirety, but the captain wondered to himself if he would be able to do that after the ceremony was done.

Their friends behind them hadn't said a word to him regarding his actions on the ship. Which was just as well; he didn't want to be questioned about it. He made the decision months ago when he brought her to her room on the day when Rapthorne was defeated, and he wasn't going to turn back on that promise to himself -- even if it meant that he probably wouldn't be the same without her for a while.

He snapped out of his thoughts when they reached the second set of stairs and the royal advisor turned around.

"This is as far as you will go," the robust old man said to them though he was looking directly at Ryuuichi. "Thank you for doing a job well done. I have already made arrangements for you at the inn to rest tonight and you will leave first thing in the morning."

Ryuuichi merely remained still, shocked to hear such orders. Was the Goddess that cruel to them? Surely the king didn't ask for this -- he _knew _that at least he wanted his daughter to be as comfortable as possible.

"What?" his princess exclaimed. "But I thought they were going to stay for the wedding! Father promised me that they would!"

The advisor looked at her with a mixture of guilt and sympathy. "I-I'm sorry, Princess, but I ---"

"**I **was the one who asked that your escorts not attend, Princess," the familiar grating voice of Prince Charmles said behind them.

Ryuuichi didn't bother to turn around like everyone else did, mustering all the will that he could to restrain his anger. The fat prince stumbled up the last flight of stairs, breathing heavily from such strenuous exercise on his body. He took her hand in his pudgy ones, looking at her as if she was the best prize he could ever catch, and that made Ryuuichi only angrier. He knew that she didn't deserve such a disgusting man as this for her husband.

Struggling to control the anger, he only caught bits and pieces of what Charmles said to her. Some cheap words of her beauty, for she blinked confusedly, and something else regarding the world. Yet the last words he said Ryuuichi caught word for word, and he was surprised at himself that he didn't draw his sword and jabbed it right through the man's heart.

"And mere **commoners** shouldn't be allowed to attend such a ceremony that is for royalty like us," Charmles gave him and the others a sneer before happily dragging his princess away. "Now, come, Medea. I'm sure that you will look absolutely lovely in the dress they picked out for you."

Ryuuichi's anger subsided a little as he watched her go, meeting her sad and helpless emerald eyes again, and he himself was helpless to stop them. The four of them stood there, watching until they were too high up to decipher their images, when Yangus started to speak.

"Oi, Guv --"

He immediately turned around, making sure not to make eye contact with any of them as he walked down the stairs, fists curled tightly by his side and literally shaking. "Let's go."

They didn't stop him although he knew they wanted to. He knew they were going to talk to him as soon as they got to the inn, but all he wanted to do right now was to be alone since now, it seemed to be his only companion.

* * *

Ryuuichi didn't immediately go to the inn. Taking advantage of the growing crowds to celebrate the wedding ceremony tomorrow, he separated himself from the others and took a stroll outside of the town's safety zone. He needed to vent off some anger and frustration -- both at himself and at the pathetic man that his princess was going to marry. The local monsters, though weak, were plenty and it wasn't until evening when he decided to come back. He was glad that his skills didn't decrease at all, proud at himself that the only visible signs from his small trip were a slight tear on his jacket and the sweat on his face. He grinned despite of himself, giving small smiles to the people (who were mainly women) who watched him as he passed by and entered the inn. 

His light mood soon faded as soon as he greeted the faces of his three comrades.

"You took a pretty long walk out there," Angelo, sitting at the table, was the first to speak. "How was the scenery?"

Ryuuichi brushed the underlying tone he had aside, walking into the room as if it was the most normal thing to do. "All right, I suppose."

"Oi, Guv, you just gonna let this go 'n all?" Yangus finally asked the question he had meant to ask when Ryuuichi cut him off earlier.

He took a seat on one of the beds. "It's her decision. There's no use to argue with her about it."

His reasoning didn't seem to agree with them.

"So that's it, then?" Angelo asked him. "You're just going to let her marry that whelp of a man without a fight? The man who called us **commoners, **people unworthy of coming to her wedding ceremony when we know her better, especially **you **-- the person who has known her the longest?"

Ryuuichi remained silent, which only made the silver-haired man angrier. He was the only person who was willing to challenge the captain, especially when it came to matters of what he thought was right and wrong.

"That comment stung you just as much as it did us, didn't it?" he continued. "Or perhaps even more so because it triggered some sort of ridiculous truth that you kept on telling yourself?"

"Then what do you suggest me to do?" Ryuuichi snapped. By the looks of his comrades, he knew that his eyes had shifted colors, but he didn't care. "Crash into the wedding and take her back, endangering the peace between two kingdoms? Trying to find a way to get off this island will be difficult enough if the guards from Trodain, Argonia, and the Church come after us, not including a place to hide even if we **did **get out. It's been only six months since the world was at peace from Rapthorne, but that doesn't mean that we can stop from instigating a **war**."

He looked away from them and down at his gloved hands. "Just because we love each other doesn't mean that we should endanger the lives around us."

There he had said it, the closest words to his admission of love for his princess -- no, for Medea.

A heavy silence lingered among them for a while, each person lost on words to say and he lost in his thoughts, until Jessica spoke.

"But Guv," she paused as she began to pick and choose her words. "Isn't it time for _you _to be selfish just this once?"

He slowly looked up at the woman. While Angelo could argue reason into him and Yangus could nonchalantly offer advice, Jessica was always capable of calmly sorting out the knots and troubles among them.

"I don't think the scenario will be as bad as you think," she continued on. "I mean... aren't Argonia and Trodain on good terms? Not to mention that we did tell the King of Argonia the truth of Prince Charmless' trial. Unless the man does something extremely drastic, his father is still the king. And King Trode will understand your actions; he values Princess Medea more than anything, just like you."

She paused again, making sure that he was following her every word. "And while following your duties is important, isn't it important to also allow yourself to make yourself happy? Although it's important to respect Princess Medea's decision to go through with this marriage, isn't it more important to protect her happiness?"

Ryuuichi's eyes widened slightly at her words and something inside agreed. Yet once again his logic contradicted this spark and Jessica's words, and it wouldn't be until the next morning when the war between his mind and his heart would be over.

* * *

He stood up, finished tying his boots and took a glance at the man that stared back in the mirror. It was more recognizable now with his hair tied back in a red bandanna, but the clothes he wore still were not the typical colors he usually did. He hadn't brought the other set of clothes with him since at the time he had only wanted to be as distant from her as much as possible. Today he wore the official "casual" wear for a captain of the guard with a navy blue shirt buttoned up all the way and black slacks and boots. Taking one more look at himself, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to elbow length and shrugged on the silver jacket from yesterday before securing his sword behind his back. Munchie stared at him curiously and he could only pat the creature on the head, signing to him to stay in the bag that was his temporary sleeping quarters before hooking the pouch around his belt again. 

He still wasn't used to such dark clothing, but at least he felt a little more comfortable in them than yesterday.

Giving a small smile to the innkeeper as he left, Ryuuichi stepped outside to face what he was about to do. It was important to him to stay away from the affair and leave, but when he knew that Medea would not be happy with the man she was betrothed to since birth, he knew that he would never be able to forgive himself is something happened to her.

It didn't take him long to spot Angelo and Jessica by the stairs, waiting for him.

"So you know what you want to do now, don't you?" the silver-haired man asked him.

Ryuuichi rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah."

"Yangus already went up ahead to secure a spot," Jessica added with a smile. "A crowd's already building up, so you better hurry!"

He nodded, giving the two a wave before he jogged up the two flights of stairs. Again, it didn't take long to spot the former bandit who was standing on the edge of the crowd, looking intensely at the group of people to find some openings. It seemed that everyone in the small town wanted to attend the ceremony, and Ryuuichi caught the words of a few local women who were talking amongst themselves about Medea.

"Did you see that wedding dress they brought in yesterday? I bet you that the princess is going to look **fantastic**!"

"I'll say. The princess of Trodain is quite the beauty, you know. Every man in town's all over her!"

"It's too bad that Argonia's prince doesn't look too hot."

"Oi, Guv!" Yangus bellowed and waved frantically at him and tugged at his arm as soon as he came within the former bandit's reach. "I didn' think that you would'a made it. They're 'bout t'start th'ceremony jus' now, but nobody's bein' let in unless you're invited!"

He proceeded to drag Ryuuichi through the growing mass of people, making use of his intimidating appearance and strength to push many out of the way without argument. The captain nearly stumbled over his feet when he stopped, now in the front.

"From wot I seen, there's only that one guard 'n th'front there," Yangus whispered in his ear. "Th'rest're pro'aly inside, so gettin' in's a cinch, Guv!"

Gently as he could, he prodded Ryuuichi forward which he ungracefully did and almost fell. Yet his years of training saved his balance and he straightened, walking forward to the one guard at the cathedral's doors.

The guard looked at him suspiciously. Before Ryuuichi could make step closer to the stairs that led inside, he was stopped.

"No one else is allowed in the cathedral unless you have a formal invitation!" the guard said to him though his eyes were nervous. Ryuuichi mused that it was perhaps the casual appearance he gave to the man.

He shrugged and sighed. Yangus was right; the guard would be too easy for him. "But I am invited."

"Then show me some proof!"

Before the guard could even draw his sword or see where Ryuuichi had gone, he was sent flying against the doors by the captain's kick, breaking them open. Ryuuichi whispered an apology to the unconscious man as he continued inside and stopped, staring back at the people in the church who had turned around at the commotion he caused. He noted to himself that there were two guards closest to him the most immediate threat as they were already drawing their swords. Far in front of him at the altar was the presiding priest and Prince Charmles. He expected Medea there as well but it looked as if she didn't arrive yet, which to him was odd.

Although he was pretty much at the entrance of the church, he could still hear the rotund man's grating voice.

"You again? What are **you **still doing here?"

Ryuuichi narrowed his eyes, a hand poised over the hilt of his sword as he kept an eye on the guards that were beginning to surround him. He saw that a man on the side of the altar came up to the prince, whispering something in his ear. Whatever it was, he had a feeling that he was going to be the subject of the prince's wrath.

"What?" he heard the prince shout and then look at him, pointing. "You! I bet **you **are the one behind this! Guards, get him!"

He didn't quite understand what his token of blame was, but Ryuuichi guessed that it had something to do with the fact that Medea was not at the altar with the prince and he was secretly glad that she wasn't there. Not one to run so easily, Ryuuichi went to full speed, taking out the four guards who were a major threat to him first within seconds. He couldn't help but smile at the look of everyone's faces. Save for Trodain and a select few towns like Arcadia, Orkutsk and Empychuu, the world had no idea that he and his comrades were the very people who defeated the greatest threat to their existence, Rapthorne, just six months before.

These guards were nothing compared to the Lord of Darkness.

Taking out a few more guards, Ryuuichi realized that they were too many to take down and to avoid from being completely surrounded, he backed off and ran the other way with the guards giving chase. A large hammer appeared to his right, and Yangus' bellow and swing sent a dozen men flying from the impact they took.

"Yangus!" he said, both surprised and relieved that the burly man had come to his aid.

"Don' worry 'bout me, Guv, an' git goin'!" Yangus told him, swinging his Uber War Hammer around before slamming it to the ground. The action caused some of the guards to jump as the crowd that had once gathered in front dispersed in confusion and slight panic. "I o'erheard that th'princess an' th'old man ran off! They must be downstairs're somethin'!"

Giving a quick nod of thanks to the former bandit, Ryuuichi continued on, taking down some guards who somehow managed to get beyond Yangus' reach and in his way. His feet were moving so quickly, he felt as if he was flying down the stairs. Yet he skidded to a stop at the first flight, seeing that there were more guards coming up. He frantically looked for a way out, sensing those who managed to steer clear of Yangus' attacks coming from above. He contemplated on jumping over the group by casting Zoom, but he didn't have an area in mind to warp to.

However the group below him seemed to buckle back by a whip that had come in their way and the group above them were toppled over by a small Woosh spell. Ryuuichi's guard relaxed a bit because he knew who exactly came to his aid.

"My apologies for crashing the party," Angelo announced as he drew his sword from its sheath.

Jessica snapped her whip back into place, smiling triumphantly at the soldiers she took down. "You should get going, Guv. We'll take care of this."

He nodded without a word, running pas the magician and the path she cleared for him. Another crowd had formed on the first level, but what had surprised Ryuuichi was that the crowd were not the locals but rather the guards of the cathedral who seemed to be hesitantly surrounding two figures. Coming closer, he realized that they were Medea and her father.

He didn't know why they were being surrounded but the duty to protect his king and his daughter kicked in. Jumping off the last half of stairs, he drew his sword, ready to swing it down on a potential threat. His sword clanged and made a dent against the helmet of one guard as he landed next to King Trode, knocking the unfortunate man unconscious and causing the other guards to scoot back though they were all still wary.

Ryuuichi swung his sword, slicing the air, which caused the guards to inch back even further. "Your highness."

"Ichi, my boy, what took you so long?" the king merely replied. He waved his free hand, the other still holding his sword. "Never mind that, take Medea away from here."

Ryuuichi blinked, the information slowly sinking in. "Sir?"

The king pushed him towards Medea, though he still kept an eye on the guards. "Didn't you hear me the first time, my boy? I said take my daughter away from here! I'll take care of these bumbling fools."

Ryuuichi and Medea looked at each other and then back at the king whose back was turned away from them.

"Fulfilling a promise between old friends is one thing," he said, raising his sword. "But what's most important is to find happiness in your life. And I am not the type of father who will sacrifice his daughter's happiness for the sake of an age-old promise!"

"Father..." Medea murmured, tears in her eyes.

King Trode glanced back at Ryuuichi. "Go. I entrust her to you."

For a second, Ryuuichi hesitated, touched by the words. He finally nodded, sheathing his sword, and held out a hand to Medea. She, too, was at first hesitant to take it but as their hands met, their future was sealed. He led her away to the side, to an exit rarely used which he discovered the day before. There would be the rocky mountainside beyond that, and he knew that Medea probably wouldn't be able to walk far in her wedding gown over the rocks.

They stopped in front of the exit, and she looked at him curiously. "...Ryuuichi?"

Heaving out a sigh of nervousness at what he was about to do, he turned around. With one quick single movement, he carried her in his arms.

"Ryuuichi!" she yelped in surprise.

He couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction as he proceeded to walk to their destination. She held onto him tighter as they balanced over the boulders.

"I'm not good at hiding things, am I?" he murmured his thoughts aloud.

"Huh?" she asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "Although you look breathtaking in that dress, I doubt that you would like to ruin it over a long trek of rocks and boulders, Medea."

"Oh..."

They shared a mutual silence, indulging in the moments of their intimacy as they made their way to the ship. There was no need for words, though he knew he had to voice his feelings to her. The scent of her ahir and the light fabric of her veil tickled his nose and as they approached the ramp of the ship, he set her down and looked into her emerald eyes.

He felt lost in them as he did many times before, but he had to at least explain why he did what he did. Yet something inside him was afraid.

"Medea, I---" he was stopped by two of her gloved fingers that lightly pressed against his lips.

"I know," she replied as she smiled. He saw that tears were forming in her eyes again. "And I'm so glad. I thought... that you didn't care anymore."

He lowered her hand with his, wiping away a stray tear that slid down her cheek.

"Your father is right," he said. "What's most important is not duty or an age old promise. It's to find your happiness in your life."

He leaned forwards and closer to her but never broke eye contact.

"To others, you may be a princess and I a mere captain to your kingdom." Their faces were just centimeters apart now, but neither wanted to break the contact. "But to you and me, I am just the man you love and you... will always be my Medea."

Their lips met in a soft yet passionate kiss, unaware of the small audience of approving looks and smiles on the ship, happy for the couple as they prepared to leave.

He hadn't wanted her to go and neither did she, but he forced himself to distance himself away from her out of respect to an age old promise that was long overdue. His duty as a servant to the throne was to protect it at all costs, and in the process he had forgotten about protecting the happiness of the one he cherished the most. Twelve years worth of waiting since the day he arrived at the castle an orphan to war -- the memory of his family gone -- eight months of travel to defeat the being that was released from its prison and set a curse upon an entire kingdom, and six months of solitary peace did Ryuuichi finally understand the meaning of happiness after years of searching.

And he finally obtained it.


End file.
